Clutch for transmission gearing



Dec. 2 8, 1937. E; F. SPINNER CLUTCH FOR TRANSMISSION GEARING Filed001;. 21,-1935 5 SheetS-Shee't l Dec.`28, 1937. E. F. sPlNNER 2,103,959

CLUTCH Fon TRANsMssIoN GEA-K1N@ Filed oct. 21, `1955 l s sheets-sheet 2g5 the lengthening of parts.

y Patented Dec. 28, `179437v UNITED* STATES PATENT OFFICE Y Q 2,103,959;Y f

CLUTCH Fon TRANSMISSION- GARING Eason Fitch spinner, Ava, 111.Y

v Application October 21, 19735, Serial No. 45,997

f .s Claims.- (c1. 19am v This invention relatesto unit clutch mechanismespecially for transmission gearing of the type adaptedv for use in selfpropelled vehicles.

" It 'is aimed to provide a novel construction 5 *Whereinrotatablemembers such as gears, preferablyffhelical gears have three-bearingfloating,

motion, are arranged in pairsin which the gears are lalways enmeshedandadapted'to be selectively placed in driving relation, as many pairs 10Vof the gears being 'employed as desired, and the speed ratioprogressively increasing from one pair to thenext.v Y

Itis further aimed to providea novel structure wherein theclut'chl willbe automatically l5 thrown into neutral position, through the initialmovementlof a lever which is operable to` select the pair of gears fordriving. y

It is" further aimed to 'provide a structure wherein there is smoothoperation, without grabbing, a structure wherein springs or otherobjectional parts are avoided and astructure which maybe readily builtwith any desired number of pairs of the gears, according to the speedsdesired,'m'erely Vby the addition of the gears and The more specific obects In said drawings-f Y e e n @Figure 1 is a view through thetransmission Y substantially incentral vertical section; e l Figure2 isa vertical lsectional view taken on the plane ofline 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectionalview taken on the plane ofline 3--3 ofFigure 1; Y

Figure 4 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional detail through thepressure L:0 the main clutch; f Y

Figure is a detail section taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 1; Y Figure6 is a detail section taken on the linel 6--6 of Figure 1; v l5` VFigure7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on the line V`I-,-Iof Figure 2 Figure 8 is a fragmentary, enlarged, longitudinal sectionalView taken through aV plurality Y Yof the change speed gears andassociated parts;4

Figure 11 isa sideV elevation of one of the changer! 55' speed gears.

and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the de-VVsc'riptionfollowing takeninrconnection withtheV accompanying drawingsillustrating an operative embodiment. Y

' rollers or clutch members 2I;

tank which controls Referring specifically to the drawings, IIIdesignates a Vsuitable transmission case Whose bottom' below .andparallel to the drive shaft I2 is aV driven Shaft I4.

The change speed gears, are shown at I5 and are preferably of the `wormor helical type, being employed in pairs always enmeshe'd and with theupper gear of each pair loosely journalledon shaft I2, with theremaining or lower gears loosely. .journalled on the shaft I4. Inaddition, reverse gearsareemployed at I6, I1 and I8, of the Worm orhelical type andalways enmeshed. Said gear I6 is loosely' journalledonshaft I2 ,while gear I8 is loosely journalled on shaft I4 and gearI'Ii is an intermediate gear or idler journalled on a stub `shaft I9secured to the casing: I0. In line with eachL of the change speedgearsshafts I2 and I4,` as best shown in Figure 9, have,

a plurality of radial equidistantly spaced slots or openings` 2Utherethrough in each of which a roller or other clutchr member 2| isloosely mounted so as, normally to project partly into the bores of therespective shafts I2 and I4 and to be movable slightly Vbeyond theperiphery of the shafts I2A and I4, to engage enlarged portions 22`ofthe bore 23 of the change speed gears I5, I6 and I8, to thus clutchsaid gears to the shafts in order to drive the latter.

Lcngitudinally reciprocable in the bore of each of shafts I2 and I4 is ashifting rod 24 for the an enlarged portion at 25, which spreads theEach rod 24 has rollers or clutch members 2I of one gear Wheel at placed`due to the presence of the rods 24 in theV bores of the shafts I2 andI4. It is to be noted that rings 26 surround the shafts IZYandI4`betweenV the gears and carry ball bearings' at 21 which engageadjacent parts in order to mini@ mize friction, the rings and gearsbeing held in` proper relation by double nuts I2 and I4 screwed to therespective shafts.

The operation of the clutch I3 is controlled through the lateral orsidewise motion of a lever 2,3 and through the medium of. intermediatemechanism, the control rods 24 are adapted to be reciprocated through aforward and a backward movement of such lever.

In order to operate the clutch I3, a pressure tank structure is employedat 29 through which a liquid or fluid is circulated by the action of apump or the like, for instance a pump of the eccentric type or onedriven by gears. The liquid or fluid circulates through pipes 3i) and3i, a wall or diaphragm 32 of the tank being n the path of circulationand having a port 33 therein which port is closed by a laterally movablevalve 34, when the clutch is to be disengaged. Liquid to replenish thesupply in the tank 29 may be passed through a ller tube 35. The tank 29has a safety valve 36 in a chamber 37 thereof which is normally held inposition closing an outlet port at 38, urged by an expansive spring 39.Port 33 through a by-pass pipe 40 communicates with the main chamber 4Iof the pressure tank. l

Thus when the pressure is excessive in the chamber 37 it will slide thevalve 3B against the tension of spring 39, away from the port 38permitting the excess pressure to escape into the chamber 4I. A pipe 42leads from the chamber 3l to a cylinder 43 in which a piston 44 isoperable to move a rod 45 pivoted to a lever 55, in turn pivoted at 41,and connected to the clutch i3 to operate it. Thus while the port 33 isnormally open and clutch I3 is normally engaged, movement of the valve34 closes the port 33 which subjects the piston 43 to the action of thepressure which moves it outwardly, swinging lever ,46 and moving theclutch to open position.

The aforesaid closing of the port 33 is effected through the operationof the lever 23. Such lever has ball and socket connection or auniversal joint at 4G with a raised portion 41 of the casing and at thelower end, lever 28 has ball and socket connection at 48 to a link 45having ball and socket connection at 5E to a lever 5I pivoted at 52 to abracket 53 suspended from the top wall of casing IIJ.

A rocker bar 54 is pivoted on horizontal axes at 55 to brackets 55depending from the top wall of casing I and which rocker bar is held ina normal position by a contractile coil spring l connected thereto andto the bracket 53. Pivoted to one end of the rocker bar 54 at 58 is anarm 59 carrying the aforesaid valve 34. Arm 59 extends through asuitably closed and air tight opening vin the top wall of the chamber31. Rocker bar 54 is inthe path of lateral movement of the lever 28, thespring 5l maintaining` the rocker bar in contact with such lever. Sincethe bar 5d is in said path of the lever, it will be rocked as the lever28 is moved laterally, accordingly moving the valve 34 into closingrelation with the port 33 so that pressure will build up and through themedium of pipe 42, cylinder 43 and piston 44, disengage or open theclutch.

Reverting to the lever 5I, which is pivotally connected to links 5l inturn pivoted to vertical bars 52 constituting parts of a shifting headE53, completed by sectional blocks 64 to which the bars 62 are fastenedand the sections of which block [i4 are secured together for instance bymeans of bolts 55. Shifter collars or the like 65 surround the shafts l2and I4, rotate therewith but slide along the same due to the fasteningof lugs 51 thereon asfby means of bolts 63 and which lugs are entered inlongitudinal slots 69 in said shafts I2 and I4 and slide in such slots.Such lugs 6l have studs lll thereon which are engaged betweenenlargements 'Il of the shifting rod 24, so that as the shifting head 53is moved, it correspondingly moves the shifting rods 24. It will beunderstood that the shifter members 66 rotate within a block 64 and thatthere is interengagement between the same at annular tongues and grooves12.

The lever 23 may be locked in any of the different positions through anysuitable locking or latching means at 13 controlled by the depression ofa button 'I4 or equivalent means carried by the lever 28.

The casing IE) may be of any desired construction, preferably having itssides removably secured by means of bolts l5. Since the structure issubstantially symmetrical from opposite sides, the interior of thetransmission case is accessible from either side thereof for inspectionor repair of the parts.

In the operation of the transmission, with shaft I2 driven by theengine, lateral movement of the lever 28 in one direction will rock thebar 54, causing valve 34 to cover port 33 and thus subject the piston 44through the pipe 42 to pressure which slides rod 45, rocks lever 46 anddisengages the clutch. While the lever 28 is at the same lateral angle,it is moved forwardly or rearwardly, operating the links and levers, toslide the shifting head 63, moving the shifter members 65 and slidingthe rods 24 and moving the enlargements 25 between the clutch members 2|of the gears of the pair I5 and I8 desired for driving, whereupon lever28 is moved laterally so that valve 34 uncovers port 33, releasing thepressure on the pistonV 44 and permitting the clutch to engage under itsurging mechanism. It is clear that during the operation of the engine,the lever 28 may at any time be operated in order to shift the rods 24and select any set of the variable speed gears I5 desired and in thecase of reverse driving, to engage the gears I6 and I8.

Various changes may be resorted to provided they fall within the spiritand scope of the invention.

I claim as my invention:-

l. Apparatus of theclass described comprising a hollow shaft, arotatable memberV surrounding thev shaft, rings surrounding the shaftand supporting the rotatable member with a portion of its bore wall Yinoutwardly spaced relation to the periphery of the shaft, the engagementbetween the rotatable member and rings being along surfaces divergingwith respect'to the axis of rotation whereby in combination with theshaft a three-bearing floating motion is provided for the rotatablemember, said shaft in line with said wall having a slot therethrough, aclutch member, a rod slidable in the bore of said shaft having portionsof` different diameter, said clutch member being in said slot and ofgreater dimension than the slot in a direction radially of the shaft,whereby the portion of the rod of greater diameter may contact theclutch member to project it partly beyond the periphery of the shaft toengage said bore wall of the rotatable member and such portion may bedisaligned with the clutch member for release of the latter.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising a hollow shaft, arotatable member surrounding and slidable along the shaft, ringssurrounding and slidable along the shaft and supporting the rotatablemember with a portion of its bore wall in outwardly spaced relationtothe periphery of the shaft, the engagement between the rotatablemember and rings being along surfaces diverging with respect to the axisof rotation whereby in combination with the shaft a three-bearingfloating motion is provided for the rotatable member, said shaft in linewith said wall having 'a slot` therethrough, a clutch member, a rodslid- V ,able in the bore of said shaft having portions of differentdiameter, said clutch member being Vin said slot and of a size wherebythe portion of the rod. of greater vdiameter may Contact, the

Vclutch member toproject it partly beyond the periphery of `the shaft toengage said bore Wall j of the rotatable member and such portion may bedisalignedwith the clutchV member for release of the latter, and means'adjustable on the shaft to prevent slidable displacement of therotatable member and rings. y f

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising a hollow shaft, arotatable member surrounding the'shaft, rings surrounding the shaft,said member and rings having oppositely inclined yout- Wardly divergingsurfaces in ContactY and suplporting the rotatable member with a portionof its bore wall in outwardly' spaced relation tothe periphery of theshaft whereby in combination f With the shaft a three-bearing floatingmotion is provided for the rotatable member, said shaft in line Withsaid Wall having a slot therethrough,

a clutch member, a rod slidable in the bore. of said shaft havingportions of different diameter, said clutch member beingin said slot andheld against displacement therefrom and of greater :dimension than theslot in a direction radially of the shaft, whereby the portion of therod of greater diameter may contact the clutch mem EDSON FITCH SPINNER.

